It was a celebratory day as members of the community gathered to commemorate Emancipation Day, acknowledging the achievements and sacrifices of Black Canadians in the past.
The Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) spearheaded festivities at Peace Park on Cane Parkway on Thursday, Aug. 1.
“Today, we gather to celebrate Emancipation Day,” said Jerisha Grant-Hall, founder and chairperson of NACCA. “A day that marks a significant turning point in history. A day when the shackles of slavery were broken and the journey toward freedom began. A freedom that was not simply given but fought for.”
Emancipation Day was unanimously declared by Members of Parliament in the House of Commons on March 24, 2021, with the passage of Bill M-36. The celebration marks the occasion when people of African descent in Upper and Lower Canada were granted freedom after 250 years of enslavement on Aug. 1, 1834.
The theme this year was breaking chains: celebrating freedom and advancing equity. It included the raising of the Pan-African flag, speeches, a drumming circle, and an African and Caribbean lunch.
“Black Canadians have always resisted oppression and have contributed significantly to Canada’s cultural, social, and political landscape, in spite of injustice,” said Grant-Hall. “Activism and movements for justice did not begin in 2020 with the murder of George Floyd, resistance began in Africa before Africans were taken and forced on ships. In fact, resistance to slavery and the slave trade influenced international human rights law.”
According to the United Nations, article four of the universal declaration of human rights states that no one shall be held in slavery or servitude, and slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Members of the Ontario Provincial Police, the Town of Newmarket, York Regional Police, the federal government, Central York Fire Services, the provincial government, and the Aurora Black Caucus were in attendance. Deputy Mayor Tom Vegh said he is committed to working with NACCA and the Black community to address systematic inequalities to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
“Here in Newmarket, we must strive to build a community where every individual can succeed and thrive regardless of their race and background,” said Vegh. “Let's continue to uplift each other, support each other, and advocate for a brighter future for our community.”
The Slavery Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1833 and came into force the year after, ending the centuries-old system of colonial enslavement of people of African descent throughout the British Empire. About one million people of African descent had been freed in Great Britain and its colonies by 1838.
